Job aspirants take an examination at Kharwandia village in Rohtas district. Picture by Sanjay Choudhary

Manoj Kumar was elated after bagging an electrician’s job at the Noida unit of a car manufacturing company.

The resident of Banjari village in Naxalite-affected Rohtas district said: “My success will inspire several youths of my village. My family and I can now expect a more secure future.”

Kumar was among the 60 job aspirants selected at a mega job camp organised by Honda Cars India Ltd, Noida, recently at Gems ITI, Karwandia, Rohtas. Youths hailing from Naxalite-hit districts of Bihar and Jharkhand received training at the institute and got jobs at the camp.

“I can’t express my happiness. I have been searching for a job for about a year since clearing my examination in July last,” said the youth, adding that such job camps would counter campaigns by the Maoists to induct youths into their outfit.

Chandan Kumar Yadav and Vinod Kumar — both residents of Dhanbad (Jharkhand) — also got jobs at the fair.

Atul Tomar, senior executive (industrial relations) of Honda Cars India Ltd, Noida, said: “Two hundred and fifty aspirants from Naxalite-affected districts of Bihar and Jharkhand took the written examination. Ninety passed the exam and out of them, 60 were selected as trainees.”

Tomar added that there was no dearth of talent and skill in Bihar.

“The candidates performed very well in both the written examination and the interview. Trainees who perform well would get a permanent job in the company,” he added.

Explaining the reason behind organising such a camp in Rohtas, Jha said: “The idea is to give more and more job opportunities to youths hailing from Naxalite-affected areas and dissuade the families who send their children to join the rebels.”